The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-03

or the problems that confront the Con-
gregational body, and points out why it
is that there are so many unemployed
ministers, a regiment" of them, in the
Congregational church. These men
fail to secure the places they want, and
will not occupy the vacant fields where
they might be useful. They have their
natural preferences for the section of
the country where they have been edu-
Gated and cleave to the neighborhood
Of the large and rich churches they
would fain supply. They are not
moved by the missionary spirit, have
no ambition to strike out in new fields
and build up places for themselves, and
so they fall into the ranks of the I'M
employed and lay the blame on Provi-
dence for their ill-success. This is the
picture drawn by the Independent. The
lines are more darkly drawn than
would perhaps be justified in the case
of our own church, but there are points
of resemblance nevertheless which will
at once strike the attentive observer.
In the Nel0 York Observer, a Presby-
terrain journal, we find the same need of
pastors for the small fields and the
frontier points discussed with equal ear
nestness, and resume of facts given
which will come home to those who
have studied the problem as affecting
our own church. Clerical correspon-
dents write the Observer from Missouri,
from Minnesota, from Takota, from
Kansas, enumerating the immediate
and pressing demands for ministers to
occupy important points and ask,
where are the menu" Another writes,
But the men will not look at our
fields. Every one wants to be located
in big city. We have a tempting field
that for over a year has been vacant, or
the same as vacant, and we cannot find
the minister to fill it," Another writes
from Nebraska, 81 have great difficulty
in securing men to take charge of our
new frontier churches. If we could
only secure the students when they go
out from the seminaries, it would be a
great help to us"
We could easily duplicate from our
correspondence during the last few
months these expressions from the Pres
byterian journal, and add largely to their
number. We have the same trouble
that comes to the surface in these
complaints. The cry constantly is for
the men who are willing to undertake
genuine missionary work and to serve
the smaller churches. The great diff
Guilty is to supply this particular de-
mand. 1t becomes more difficult with
every month and year. How to meet it
and secure the needed help is the prob
lem that presses constantly upon the
Universalist work in the West. The
problem must have solution, and that
soon, or we will lose much of the
strength that has been gained in the
generation that is passing by mission
airy labor and by the seed planters of
our Zion. We may ask with the o.
seruer: "Where ara the young, strong,
active, ambitious men, who rejoice to
lead the van of the Christian host that
occupies this continent? Our frontier
now is nothing like so far away, or so
difficult to subdue, or 80 long in b3co.n-
ing populous as it was but a few years
ago. Railways are now traversing the
continent and penetrating the remotest
neighborhoods. Territories clamor to
be received as States. Educated men,
with moral purpose are sure to be val
ued as the community feels their
power" Aud we may also safely say
of our theological schools and institu-
tions of learning that they must also
'develop genuine enthusiasm for spirit
ual conquests if they ara effective in
providing the church with men who
are to become more than conquerors. !"